Our entry is a simple pair of everyday appliances, a Waring Blendor and an ice crusher. My husband has always had a fascination with space travel, rockets, and outer space. I guess that’s a by-product of being born mid-sixties and being young when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. When we stumbled across these items , he was immediately drawn to them because of their rocket-like shape and line. Although each was made at a time when man only dreamed about reaching into space, and it would be years before that became a reality, isn’t it funny that he would design everyday items that reflected that dream…that dream of reaching into outer space, going to other planets. With the technology that we have today, we take much for granted. But, back in those days, even looking at these everyday appliances kept that dream alive.

These items not only stirred the imaginations of those who used them about space travel, but still today, capture our imagination as we wonder what it was like to live in that pre-space flight era.

These are waaay cool! The aqua ice crusher matches my kitchen, so I think you should send it on over 🙂 I also dig your table, chair, and dishes in the background…and it that a wall unit with shelves, built-in t.v. and speakers??!!!!

Yes, Tikimama, your eyes do not deceive you! It is a wall unit, complete with a working black and white TV set. It is 9 feet long. And….be still your heart….it also has a slide-out record player and radio unit under the TV. Thanks for the compliment on the table and chairs and dishes! I collect Franciscan Starburst, so that’s part of what I have. I mostly use the wall unit to display some of my pieces. During the fall and Christmas holidays, the wall unit becomes a place that I use to display my vintage holiday items.

The blender or blendor is great! I bought one for my kitchen area and use it regularly. The earliest model FC1 had a copper centrifugal fan at the base which moved the motor up so slightly off the washer/bushing so that in operation the motor is suspended on air. If you turn it on you can see the drive at the top move up with the jar off. Later models put a regular fan at the top accomplishing the same purpose. Incidently “controversial” centrifuges also operate “suspended” to eliminate friction. A common problem that may occur is vibration caused by corrosion of the bushing inside the blade apparatus. Some times this can be remedied by taking it apart and using some steel wool to smooth it out but recommend just replacing the blade apparatus. The no leak design it is my understanding uses principles developed for submarine propeller shafts so this blender was very high tech for its time. Even the legs are vibration insulated. There are still repair shops for these blenders that can overhaul them for you. Enjoy!

The waring Blender pictured was designed so that a centrifugal fan sucked air through the top vents when operating. This lifted the motor that drives the blades up about 1/16 of an inch so that the motor revolved on an air cushion rather than on a washer/bushing in the base. Also, there is double vibration insulation in the pads for the legs. The hurdle the developers had to overcome in designing the initial blendors was how to have a durable seal for the blades which would not leak fluid out the bottom. This was accomplished applying scientific principle used in, believe it or not, submarines to keep water from coming in the propeller shafts. So, a lot went to the design of the Waring Blender. Pre WWII and post WWII materials varied from brass chrome coatings and copper fans to aluminum on off plates. Vibration in these blenders can sometimes be eliminated by taking the blades apart and using steel wool to smooth out any corrosion on the bushing under/inside the blade housing – but be careful – not to break the glass and not be cut by the blades when working with them.
Best of Luck,
Thomas E. Shafovaloff